Automatic relief-valve.



' A. HARRISON. AUTOMATIG RELIEF VALVE. APPLIGATION FILED HAR. 5, 1906.

Patented sept. 29, 1908.

Illllllil 1H: NoRRls PETE sHl/vorofv. DA c,

system without unnecessary i AMOS HARRISON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

AUTOMATIC RELIEF-VALVE.

v .Specication af Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 29, 1908.

Application filed March 5, 1906. Serial No. 304,231.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AMos HARRISON, a citizen of the United States, residin at Chicago, county of Cook, and State of I inois, have invented a certain new, useful, and Improved Automatic Relief-Valve, of which the followmg is a description.

My invention relates to that class of devlces commonly known as tra s or water relief valves commonly employed upon various parts of a steam system to discharge the water of condensation or other fluid from the waste oflsteam.

The object of my invention is to construct a simple, eflicient, and reliable device of the kind described which may not be liable to become inoperative from accumulations of dirt or foreign matter within the valve casing.

To this end my invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement,` and combination of parts herein shown and described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims( l l In the accompanying drawings `wherein like or similar reference characters indicate like or corresponding parts: Figure 1 is a substantially vertical diametrical section 4of my device. Fig. 2`is a section taken substantially on line 2-.-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section similar to that shown in Fig. 1 showing a slight modification. Fig. 4 is a section taken substantially on line 4-4 of Fig. 3, and Fig. 5 is asection similar to that shown in Figs. 1 and 3 showing a slightly modified form of my device.

In the preferred form of my device shown in the drawings, 1 is a substantiallycylindrical casing provided with an inlet 2 near its upper end, and with an outlet 3 in .its bottom. A cap 4 is provided at the upper end of the casing 1 to afford convenient access to the interior of the shell and to facilitate the examination of the parts and the removal of any scales, rust, or other foreign substance which may be carried into the shell.

Any convenient means may be employed to exclude such foreign substances from the working parts of mydevice and to aid in removing the same from the system.

In the form shown a removable partition is provided in the casing 1 below the inlet 2 so that all Huid entering the casing is first dis@ charged upon the partition whence it escapes through'a suitably screened space, into the lower portion of the casing containing the moving parts of my device.`

The partition may be of any' desired form and supported in position in any desired manner. As shown in Fig. 1- this partition comprises a flat disk 5 rigidly attached to the cap 4 by a stem 6 and sufficiently smaller than the casing 1 so that it may freely pass any slight projections upon the side of the casing. A cylindrical screen 7 is shown attached to the margin of the disk 5 extending upward and forming a part of the partition with its upper edge preferably formed to resiliently engage an annular ledge or projection 8 upon the casing and form a secure joint to prevent the escape of any foreign substance into the space below the partition. As shown an opening 9 isA formed longitudinally of the stem 6`for a purpose hereinafter explained, and one or more small vent ports 10 are provided above the disk 5 into the opening. A shield' or hood l1 is provided upon the stem 6 above the orts 10 and a cylindrical screen 12 is provide extending from the shield 11 t0 the disk 5 to exclude foreign matter carried bythe liquid entering the shell from the ports 10. j

The form shown inl Fig. 3 is quite similar to that shown in Fig. 1 except that an upwardly projecting marginal flange 14 is provided upon the disk 5 which with the shield 11 forms a water seal and prevents the escape of steam at the ports 10. In this form an annular plate 15 of screening material is attached to the upper edge of the flange 14 to prevent the escape of foreign matter into the lower portion of the casing 1. The entire arrangement of. this portion of my device is to catch any foreign substance entering the shell 1 u on the disk 5 and to permit the removal of a l screens etc., together with any dirt which may have accumulated, from the top of the casing permitting a thorough cleanslng of the arts while so removed.

In Fig.' 5 the dlisk 5, screen 7, and projection 8, are very similar to that shown in Fig. 1, but are entirely detached from the cap 4, a projection 6 occupying the position of the stem. In this form the disk 5 is supported by the screen 7 from the projection 8 and, as the port 10 may be conveniently placed out of robable reach oi' any dirt carried by the liquid entering the shell, no shield 11, or screen 12, is necessary under Aordinary conditions.

Any suitable means may be employed to control the discharge of fluid from the lower portion of the casing 1. As shown a float 16 is provided within the-'shell and attached to a vertically movable member 17 provided at its lower end with means for controlling the outlet 3. The member 17 is preferably tubular and suitably formed at its lower end to serve as a valve and cooperate with a valve seat 18 about the inner end of the outlet 3 to control the flow of fluid therethrough.

Any suitable means may be employed to guide the movable parts of my device and provide for the removal of air or other gas entrained with the steam and water entering the casing 1. As shown a part of the tubular member 17 is slidably fitted within the opening 9 for this purpose preferably with sufficient space between the walls of the opening and the member 17 to permit a constant slight leakage of fiuid therebetween. As the pressure at both ends of the tubular movable part 17 is practically equal and less than the pressure in the casing 1 the tubular member and valve are practically balanced and any fluid at the ports 10 will tend to pass into the opening 9 u around the member 17 to its upper en and thence through the tubular member 17 to the outlet 3.

If preferred one or more slots 19 may be formed in the upper end of the member 17 within the opening 9 to provide a slightly more direct passage from the port 10 to the interior of the member 17 and to reduce the friction between the member 17 and the walls of the opening or a series of grooves or threads 20 may be provided, as shown in Fig. 1, to retain a film of liquid, or what is sometimes known as a water packing, between the member 17 and the wall of the opening 9, thus reducing the friction and also by sealing the space between the member 17 and the walls of the lower end of the opening 9 partially controlling the escape of air, gas, or steam into the member 17, or if preferred a combination of such slots and grooves or threads may be employed as shown in Fig. 1.

In Fig. 3 an annular groove 21 is formed in the wall of the opening 9 at the inner ends of the ports 10 and one or more apertures 22 are formed through the wall of the member 17 so positioned that when the valve controlling the outlet 3 is open the aperture 22 will register with the groove 21 thus forming substantially a direct passage at the upper end of the casing 1 into the outlet 3.

Any suitable form or type of float 16 may be employed to control the movement of the member 17. In Fig. 1 a block of cork or similar material is employed, in Fig. 3 the usual hollow metal shell type is shown, and in Fig. 5 al composite fioat consisting of a hollow metal shell 23 filled with cork, magnesia, or other suitable material adapted to prevent collapsing is shown.

Obviously the parts of my device may be proportioned to bring the line of flotation at any desired point but in the form shown it is intended that normally the float 16 will be practically submerged.

The inlet pipe 2 of my device is, in operation, connected to a radiator or other portion of a heating system, where water of condensation is likely to accumulate. The outlet pipe of the device is connected to a return pipe in the usual and well known manner. lf de sired a vacuum may be maintained in this return pipe, the devices for maintaining such vacuum being well known in the art to which this inventionrelates and forming no part thereof. Y

When the device is thus connected water of condensation upon entering the easing through the inlet pipe 2 in Figs. 1 and 5, spreads out upon the partition 5 and deposits any solid matter such as particles of scale, sand or other dirt carried along by the water. The water then p asses over the edges of the partitions 5 and into the lower part of the casing 1. Then a sufiicient amount of water accumulates to raise the iioat 1G in either Figs. 1 or 5, valve 17 is lifted from its seat and the water is discharged into the return pipe.

The operation of the form of the device shown in Fig. 3 diers slightly from the operation just described. In Fig. 3 the water entering through the inlet pipe Afills the cuplike member formed by the partition .5 and fiange 14 and forms a liquid seal at the lower edge of the shield 11. This liquid seal normally prevents the passage of steam to the interior of shell 1 and consequently prevents the escape of the steam from the easing. Under normal conditions, however, a continuous trickling of liquid through the tube 17, takes place, for since there is, as has been before stated, a sliding fit between the tube 17 and the stem 6, the pressure within the casing 1 acting upon the liquid forming the liquid seal, constantly forces a small quantity of said liquid through the ports .1() to the slots 19. From there the liquid escapes through the tube 17 to the return pipe. By providing the slots 20 the liquid needy only be forced a very slight distance from the ports 10 before it can enter the interior of tube 17 and yet said tube is left of sufficient length to be efficiently guided in the stem (i.

Having thus described my improvement,

it is obvious that various immaterial modiiications may be made in my device without departing from the spirit of my invention, hence l do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact form and construction shown.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the character described. the combination with a casing having an inlet and an outlet, of a removable cap for said casing, an imperforate member horizontally disposed between said inlet and said outlet and provided with a valve guiding extension, a perforated member secured tothe outer periphery of said horizontally disposed member and extending between Said horizontally disposed member and the wall of the casing said horizontally disposed member bein adapted to receive sediment, and being bodi y removable through the top of the casing when said cap is removed, a valve controlling said outlet and a float for lifting said valve said valve being slidably guided by said guiding extension of the horizontally disposedmember.

2. In a device of the character described the combination with Ia easing having an inlet and an outlet, of a removable cap for said casing, an imperforate member horizontally disposed between said inlet and said outlet and provided with a valve guiding-extension,

a perforated member secured to the outer periphery of said .horizontally disposed member and extending between said horizontally disposed member and the wall of the casing said horizontally disposed member being adapted to receive sediment, said member and the perforated member connected thereto being bodily removable through the top nication between the interior of the tubular Y valve and the interior of the easing.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto Vsigned my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

AMOS HARRISON. Witnesses:

ROY W. HILL, CHARLES I. COBB. 

